Control head



Dec; 3, 1935. J, D SPALDING 2,023,033

CONTROL HEAD Filed Feb. 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 3, 1935.- J. D. SPALDING CONTROL HEAD Filed Feb. 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES CONTR John D. Spal The National S a corporation of Dela Application February 12 Claims.

relates to control heads and to a control head applicable for casing head for the controlling of the flow of liquids or gas from a well.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved form of control head applicable for use casing head wherein there supporting an inner concasing, and a means which osition and use for packing the inner tubing, Pipe or casing to the body of the head irrespective of the conditions within the well, that is, as to whether the weight of the suspended tubing is suspended upon the head or pressure is developed within the well tending to force the inner tubing outwardly therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a control head inclu g a means for suspending an inner concentric pipe, casing or tubing wherein there is provided a packing means including pressure applying means applicable for expanding the packing, and an adjustable means operable for holding the pipe, casing or tubing downwardly in position in the well.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side el midsection of the casin ing my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmental side elevation of the modified form of control or casing head embodying my invention.

Figure 4 is a sectional vie on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 y In the modification of my invention as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, i indicates a body adapted to be secured by means indicated at 2 to an outer pipe. or casing 3. The body I is provided with an axial bore forming a seat 4 upon which a collar 5 is adapted to seat. The collar 5 is secured by means of a thread 6 to an inner pipe, tubing or casing l. Formed in the collar 5 are a plurality of grooves 8 in which there is positioned packing material 9,which packing material 9 may be a soft metal such as babbitt, lead, white metal, or the like, so that the weight of the inner pipe, tubing or casing l as transmitted through the collar 5 to the packing 9 is inter- This invention more particularly use as a tubing or is provided means for centric pipe, tubing or w is easily adapted to p evation partly in vertical g or control head embodysubstantially w taken substantially CL HEAD,

ding, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to uperior Company, Toledo, Ohio,

ware

18, 1 935, Serial No. 6,995

posed upon the joint.

In order to pack the tubing, casing or pipe 1 to the body I irrespective of the operation of the packing 9, and to provide a means which may 5 I be quickly assembled and placed in position for holding the end of the tubing down within the well and for packing the connecting collar 5 to the body I to insure a fluid-tight condition within the control head under all conditions, the follow- 10 ing means are preferably provided:

Formed between the collar 5 and the interior periphery of the body I is a packing groove I0 terminating in a shoulder II upon which there is positioned a junk ring I2. Positioned within the li packing groove Ill upon the junk ring I2 are packing rings I3 which may be of any suitable or desirable construction and which are adapted to be expanded by means ofa packing follower I4. Threadedly secured at 4,: upper end of 20 the body I within the central opening thereof is a hold-down ring I5 which is threadedly secured to the body I at the coarse threads I6 which permit quick and easy assembly of the hold-down ring I5 in position. Threaded through the holddown ring I5 are packing expanding screws I1 and pipe hold-down screws I8. The screws I1 and I8 are mounted in staggered relation around the surface of the ring I5 and preferably upon different pitch circles so that the inner ends of the packing screws Il engage the upper end I9 of the follower I4 to force the follower I9 downwardly to expand the packing I3 while the inner ends of the hold-down screws I8 engage the upper end 20 of the collar 5 to hold the collar b downwardly against any pressure developed in the well tending to force the tubing or pipe I outwardly of the well. The upper portion of the body I is externally threaded as indicated at 2| so that a bonnet (not shown) or other connection can be made to the body I if desired.

In the modified form of construction embodying my invention as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, similar parts have been indicated with similar numerals with the addition of an exponent a thereto.

. This construction differs primarily from that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 in that there is provided a slip type control head wherein the inner pipe 1 is supported upon the seat 4 by means of slips 22 so that the pipe 1 may be gripped at any portion of its length so that it is not necessary to form a special collar such as the collar 5 for the purpose of suspending the tubing, 55

packing to provide a fluid-tight defined between casing or pipe 1 within the body l of the control or casing head.

In accordance with this modification, the slips 22 are connected by means of a yieldable lost motion connection to the collar 5 which is secured to the upper end of the tubing I. This connection includes a compensating joint which includes one or more screws 23"- which are threaded into each of the slips 22. The head of the screws23 fit'within recesses 24 formed in the collar 5. The heads of the screws 23 are inserted laterally into the groove 24 and a closure ring 25 is preferably welded into position after the screws have been assembled into position.

Mounted upon the shanks of the screws 23 between the upper ends of the slips 22 and the lower end of the collar ti are compression springs 26. The purpose of the compression springs 26 is to force the slips into seating engagement with the seat I as the tubing is lowered into po sition. These springs also act to cause the slips 2! to seat evenly with the tubing. There is always a tendency where a multiplicity of slips are employed for tle wickers 21 of the slips on their biting into the tubing to cause a slight relative movement of the tubing when the tubing is finally gripped and for this reason the lost motion connection as heretofore described between the collar 5 and the slip 22 is provided.

The packing I3 in this modification of my invention is compressed in the same manner as described in connection with Figures 1 and 2. Likewise the hold-down screws l8 may be forced into engagement with the upper end 20* of the collar 5. In this modification of my invention, however, it is preferable to adjust the screws I8 so as to provide a slight clearance as indicated head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, a collar insertable through the bore and supported on a shoulder formed therein, means for suspending an inner casing from said collar, means defining a pack- 2. In a casing ing groove between the collar and the body, Packat 28 between the lower end of the screws l8 and the upper end 20 of the collar 5- so as not to increase the loading upon the slips 22. With the screws l8 as thus set, it will be obvious that the collar 5 is permitted to have a limited axial movement without disturbing the effectiveness of the packing l3 since the complete assembly from the junk ring ii to the set screws H are completely self-contained as a unit within the body.

In this type of construction the exposed area between the outside of the tubing 1 and the outer periphery of the collar 5'- is available to any pressure which exists within the annular space the casing 3 and the tubing I to aid in supporting a portion of the weight of the tubing 1, that is, the weight of the tubing 1'- is thereby partially supported by the pressure existing under the collar 5 and partially by the slips 22.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a casing head assembly, the combination of va body having a bore formed therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, an inner casing disposed within the first named casing, a collar secured to said inner casing and positioned within the bore of said body. a packing groove between the collar and the body, packing within said groove, a member detachably secured within the bore of said body, means including pressure applying means carried by said member and operable to expand said packing, and adjustable meanscarried by said member and operable to hold said collar against upward movement.

ing within said groove, an adjustable follower for said packing, a member detachably secured to said body above the collar, andseparate pressure applying means carried by said member and operable to hold said collar on said shoulder and to expand said packing through the medium of said adjustable follower.

3. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, a collar insertable through the bore and supported on a shoulder formed therein, means for suspending an inner casing from said collar, ing groove between the collar and the body, packing within said groove, an adjustable follower for said packing, a member detachably secured within the upper portion of the bore in said body,

and separate pressure applying means carried -20 by said member and operable to hold said collar on said shoulder and to expand said packing through the medium of said adjustable follower.

4. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a bodyhaving a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, a collar insertable through the bore and supported on a shoulder formed therein, packing means between said shoulder and the supporting seat formed on said collar, means for suspending an inner casin from said collar, means defining a packing groove between the collar and the body, packing within said groove, an adjustable follower for said packing, a member detachably secured to said body above the collar, and pressure applying means connected with said member and operable to inf dependently hold said collar on said shoulder and to expand said packing through the me dium of said adjustable follower.

5. In a casing of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, a collar insertable through the bore and supported on a shoulder formed therein, means for suspending an inner casing from said collar, means defining a packing groove between the collar and the body, packing within said groove, a -member detachably secured within the upper portion'of the bore in said body, pressure applying means carried by said member and operable to hold said shoulder, and pressure applying means to expand said packing.

6. In a casing head assembly, of a body having a tapered seat means for securing the body to a casing, ner casing disposed within the first named oasing, slips mounted upon the seat for supporting the inner casing, a collar secured to said inner casing above the slips, means defining a packing the combination formed therein,

groove between the collar and the body, packing 65 ment, and pressure applying means to expand said 7 packing.

'7. In a casing head assembly, of a body having a tapered seat means for securing the body to a casing, casing disposed within the combination formed therein, an inner means defining apack- 20 head assembly, the combination '45 said collar on 55 an in- 60 the first named casing, a 7

of the ,moving into wedging engagement with the inner collar secured to said inner casing, slips positioned below said collar and adapted to seat on the tapered seat in said body and support the inner casing, means connecting said slips and collar, said latter means including a compensating connection to permit relative longitudinal movement slips relative to the collar upon the slips casing, and means including packing to seal the space between the periphery of said collar and the bore in said body.

8. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a tapered seat formed therein, means for securing the body to a casing, an inner casing disposed within the first named casing, a collar secured to said inner casing, slips positioned below said collar and adapted to seat on the tapered seat in said body and support the inner casing, means connecting said slips and collar, said latter means including a yieldable compensating connection to permit relative longitudinal movement of the slips relative to the collar upon the slips moving into wedging engagement with the inner casing, and means including packing to seal the space between the periphery of said collar and the bore in said body.

9. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a tapered seat formed therein, means for securing the body to a casing, an inner casing disposed within the first named casing, a collar secured to said inner casing, slips positioned below said collar and adapted to seat on the tapered seat in said body and support the inner casing, means connecting said slips and collar, said latter means including a compensating connection to permit relative longitudinal movement of the slips relative to the collar upon the slips moving into wedging engagement with the inner casing, means carried by said body and operable to hold said collar against upward movement, and means including packing to seal the space between the periphery of said collar and the bore in said body.

10. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for securing the body to a casing, a tubular member disposed within the first named casing, slips mounted within the bore of the body for supporting the tubular member, and means positioned above the slips to seal the annular space defined between said tubular member and the bore of the body, said means including a stationary member,

a follower member, packing means between said 5 stationary and follower members in contact with the bore of the body and the periphery of said tubular member, a second stationary member detachably secured to the upper end of said body, and pressure applying means carried by said latter stationary member and operable to expand said packing means through the medium of said follower member.

11. In a casing head assembly, the combination of a body having a bore therethrough, means for 15 securing the body to a casing, a tubular member disposed within the first named casing, slips mounted Within the bore of the body for supporting the tubular member, and means positioned above the slips to seal the annular space defined 20 between said tubular member and the bore of the body, said means including a stationary member,

a follower member, packing means between said stationary and follower members in contact with the bore of the body and the periphery of said 5 tubular member, a second stationary member detachably secured within the upper end of said bore, and a plurality of pressure applying set screws carried by said latter stationary member and operable to expand said packing means 30 through the medium of said follower member.

12. In a casing head, the combination of a body having a tapered seat formed therein and a substantially cylindrical bore formed above said seat, means for securing the body to a casing, an inner casing disposed within the first named casing, slips mounted on said tapered seat to support the inner casing, a collar member secured to said inner casing, said member having a portion of its outer periphery substantially equal in diameter to the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the bore, said body and member being formed to define an annular packing space around the periphery of the collar member, packing within said .annular space, and pressure applying means to expand said packing.

JOHN D. SPALDING. 

